The Edmonton Roundtable hosted by Minister Hehr (Photo – Department of National Defence)

June 10, 2016. EDMONTON. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) participated in a roundtable with key stakeholders held June 4 in Edmonton, Alberta as part of public consultations taking place across Canada to inform Canada’s new defence policy. The roundtable was hosted by the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence. Major (Ret’d) Oksana Kuzyshyn represented the UCC at the roundtable.

Minister Hehr stated, “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to host today’s roundtable meeting in Edmonton. The depth of expertise provided by the participants, as well as the feedback we are receiving through the online consultation portal, illustrates the importance of open and transparent dialogue as we engage on issues important to Canadians.”

During the full-day meeting, the discussions focused on three main themes, including:

– the main challenges to Canada’s security;

– the role of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in addressing threats and challenges, now and into the future;

– the resources and capabilities needed to carry out the CAF mandate.

“I thank Minister Hehr for hosting this very important roundtable. Since Canada’s last Defence Review in the 1990s, two key challenges to Canadian and global security have emerged – the threat of global terrorism and Russia’s military aggression,” stated Major (Ret’d) Kuzyshyn. “It is essential that Canada’s Defence Policy adequately respond to these challenges.”

Minister Hehr with Major (Ret’d) Kuzyshyn and other roundtable participants (Photo – Department of National Defence)

The key points stressed by the UCC in its position on Canada’s Defence Policy are:

– Russia’s invasion of sovereign Ukrainian territory, first in Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, then in eаstern Ukraine, changed the security calculus for Canada and its NATO allies. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, the rules-based international order as well as global peace and security;

– Russian aggressive actions against its neighbours in eastern Europe and the Arctic present a challenge to Canada’s sovereignty and territorial integrity of its northern regions;

– Canada’s Defence Policy must take into account the existential threat presented to Canada and allied states by Russia’s continued violation of international law. Canada’s Defence Policy must look at ways to counter Russia’s aggression and deter further attacks against Ukraine or other states in the region;

– It is in Canada’s national security interest that Europe remain secure. The best way to ensure the return of peace to Europe is to ensure the success of a democratic, prosperous and strong Ukraine, whose territorial integrity and sovereignty are respected;

– An area of priority for the Canada Defence Policy must be to ensure the return of peace to Ukraine. Strengthening the ability Ukraine’s security forces to defend their citizens against foreign aggression, will prevent further bloodshed and facilitate a diplomatic resolution.

– Canada has and must continue to play an important role in capacity-building for Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Some 200 CAF personnel are training Ukrainian forces in tactics as part of Operation UNIFIER. Currently, Canada is committed to participate until 2017. The number of CAF personnel participating in UNIFIER must be increased substantially and Operation UNIFIER should be extended until at least 2020.

– Canada must conclude negotiations on the Canada Ukraine Defence Cooperation Agreement, which would improve interoperability and deepen cooperation and investment between Canada’s and Ukraine’s military. Ukraine must be added to the Automatic Firearms Country Control List, to allow the export of certain defensive equipment to Ukraine.

– At such time when Russia finally begins to implement its commitments under the Minsk Agreements, a large and robust international peacekeeping mission will be necessary in order to ensure effective monitoring of the comprehensive withdrawal of Russian troops, weapons and materiel from the eastern Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk. Canada must play a leading role in ensuring that international monitoring of the Ukraine-Russia border is effective – either through a Mission under the auspices of the United Nations or the OSCE.

– Canada in cooperation with the EU, the G7 and other like-minded nations must toughen economic sanctions on Russia. Such actions will deter further Russian efforts to grab more Ukrainian territory and pressure Moscow into full implementation of the Minsk agreements and withdrawal of Russian troops (and their proxies) from the territory of Ukraine, including Crimea.